Scientific Name: Bufo americanus
Total Length: 2 – 4.5 inches
Range: The eastern half of North America, from central Canada to the southern states, but not reaching the Gulf coast.
Habitat: They may be found in habitats such as suburbs, gardens, heavily forested mountains, and places close to marshes, ponds, and temporary pools. They are often found under rocks and logs.
Sex Determination: Males are usually smaller than females and have darker, looser throats, especially during the mating season.
[snip left2][/snip] Reproduction: It takes place from March to July in shallow water. This is the only time they return to water. The males appear first and call for the females. The males often outnumber the females by as many as 5:1. The mating call is rather long and musical. Individual calls may last 6 – 30 seconds.
Males without mates are known for trying to mate with anything that moves, including mating pairs, other males, fish, drifting wood, and even a collector’s foot!
Once a male finds a female, he will grasp her around the waist and begin to mate. If the female is receptive, she will lay thousands of eggs in a double string. The eggs may be wrapped around aquatic plants or other objects in the water.
After spawning, the females usually leave the water immediately, while the males may stay for a few days in hope of mating with another female.
They are most likely to breed in an outdoor enclosure or an unheated greenhouse with a well planted pond.
Metamorphosis: The tadpoles swim in large schools and in a few weeks they develop into juvenile toadlets. They usually leave the water in mid to late summer, usually with the heavy rainfall.
Newly metamorphosed toads are most active during the day.
Larvae Care: Bring me to the Amphibian Larvae Care page!
Care In Captivity:
Other Information: If well cared for, they are healthy if they remain in hiding during the day and appear only during feeding time. If they are restless and try to climb out of the tank, they are either hungry, thirsty, or unhealthy.
They adapt well to captivity and quickly become tame.
American Toads are usually confused for other toads. The following is the pyhsical traits of an American Toad:
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